How to watch Eurovision in Australia in 2023
Can’t wait to get in on all the global action with Eurovision in Liverpool this year? Read on to find out more information on when the 67th annual Eurovision Song Contest is, how you can watch it in Australia, when you can vote, and what you’ll want to watch out for.
Quick tip: You’ll need SBS On Demand and a good broadband connection!
When is the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest?
Eurovision takes place over several dates, as there are two semi-finals and a grand final. In 2023, the Eurovision Song Contest will be held in Liverpool in the United Kingdom on behalf of Ukraine, who won Eurovision in 2022. Each event takes place at 7:00pm local time (GMT) in order to work across Europe, which makes for some early mornings in Australia.
The three main events and their times in Australia are:
- Semi final 1 takes place on 10 May 2023 at 5:00am AEST/4:30am ACST/3:00am AWST
- Semi final 2 takes place on 12 May 2023 at 5:00am AEST/4:30am ACST/3:00am AWST
- Grand final takes place on 14 May 2023 at 5:00am AEST/4:30am ACST/3:00am AWST
Each event will also have a prime time replay – but where can you watch them?
Where can I watch Eurovision in Australia?
As mentioned, Eurovision airs exclusively on SBS and SBS On Demand in Australia. It will air live in the early morning for dedicated fans. There will also be prime time replays of each main event.
SBS have confirmed the prime time replays as taking place at:
- Semi final 1 on 12 May 2023 at 7:30pm AEST
- Semi final 2 on 13 May 2023 at 7:30pm AEST
- Grand final on 14 May 2023 at 7:30pm AEST
You can also catch this via Foxtel Now.
Australia in the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest
Who is representing Australia in Eurovision and when are they performing?
Australia’s Eurovision representatives in 2023 are Perth prog-metal band Voyager with their song “Promise”.
Australia saw a great response in their semi final, being one of the favourites from the semi-final 2 qualifiers. They will be performing in the Grand Final in the 15th slot.
In 2023 Australia returned to internal selection to decide on our representative. This marks a change from the past few years, where Australia has hosted a selection competition called Australia Decides, allowing the public to vote on the national representative.
The 2022 Australia Decides winner, Sheldon Riley, placed 15th in Eurovision 2022.
Voting in Eurovision 2023 from Australia
How do I vote in Eurovision 2023?
If you are in Australia, you are able to officially vote in Eurovision 2023 – but not in every event, so read closely!
Australians can vote in the live finals that Australia takes part in, but cannot vote for Australia. That means you can vote in Semi Final 2 and the Grand Final.
However, you cannot vote for your own country. That means no voting for Australia, Voyager fans.
While voting has traditionally been done via text message, last year saw the introduction of an online platform for Australians to vote using. This is accessible at https://www.esc.vote/.
In Australia, it costs 65c per vote and you have up to 20 votes in total (per event). You can vote for an act as many times as you like as a part of this 20 vote total. You can use as few votes as you like. Payment can be made via Google Pay, and Credit Card.
This year, voters from non-participating countries will also be able to join in, forming a public vote from the “Rest of the world”. Find more details about the voting changes here.
How do I vote during primetime screenings?
If you plan on watching Eurovision during the Australian prime time replays, you will not be able to partake in the live vote (obviously).
Since there is a large Australian tradition of watching Eurovision that evening, there is usually an informal vote or reaction poll run via the SBS app.
You can also participate in these prime time screenings by joining a watch party, or by using the nominated hashtags to follow along on Twitter, Instagram and Tik Tok (follow us while you’re there!) – usually #SBSEurovision. Highlights are often shown on screen during the screening.
Eurovision Results 2023
Eurovision 2023 Results: Winner and Australia's Performance
Sweden are the winners of Eurovision 2023 with 583 points.
This is exciting for ABBA fans, as Eurovision 2024 in Sweden will coincide with the 50th anniversary of ABBA's Eurovision win.
It also makes Loreen the second ever person to win Eurovision twice, and the first woman to win Eurovision twice.
Runners up, Finland, finished with 526 points.
Australia finished in the top 10, with 151 points.
2023 was the last year of our extended invitation, and we hope to see our contract for participation continued into 2024 and beyond.
The rest of the top 10 was as follows:
- 1. Sweden
- 2. Finland
- 3. Israel
- 4. Italy
- 5. Norway
- 6. Ukraine
- 7. Belgium
- 8. Estonia
- 9. Australia
- 10. Czechia
Streaming Eurovision in HD
The last thing you want on Eurovision morning is to miss out on the little details – even more so if you’re hosting a watch party! HD streaming can chew through your data, so make sure your internet plan has the horsepower to support your streaming needs.
If not, head to our broadband hub for internet options and all things streaming. You can find some popular broadband plans below.